October 21/06 9:48 am - CCA Track Trials

The Canadian Cycling Association is pleased to announce that track trials will be held at the Burnaby Velodrome beginning on October 30, 2006 and will conclude on November 1, 2006.

There is only one objective for this camp and it is to find a third rider who can complete our Team Sprint team. For the last two years, Canada has run a Team Spring program with an emphasis on the development of the team. We have now reached the point where unless we can make the team more competitive we risk not being able to qualify for the Olympic Games in 2008. Canada has already two strong performers in Travis Smith and Cam Mackinnon, both of whom have proven that they can ride any position on the team and be competitive among the top-10 in the World. It is the goal of the CCA to qualify this team for the 2008 Olympic Games and to do this we must be among the top-10 countries in the world by March 2008.

Here is the schedule for trials at the Burnaby Velodrome:

* Monday, October 30 9:00am to noon* Tuesday, October 31 noon to 3:00pm* Wednesday, November 1 9:00am to noon

As everyone is aware, the Burnaby track is a 200m track. However, the majority of competitions are held on 250m tracks. Evaluations will be based on an athlete's performance in a standing 250m, a flying 200m and a flying 500m. In order to be given consideration for inclusion in the team, athletes must meet the following time standards:

* For 1st position on team sprint squad - Standing 250m: under 18.9 sec with the last 125m under 7.3 sec

* For 3rd position on the team sprint squad - Flying 500m: under 29 sec

Athletes will also be timed in a flying 200m. Athletes who can post a time under 11 sec will also be given consideration for the team.

Athletes will be given numerous opportunities to meet the time standards over the three days of trials. CCA staff will be on hand to oversee the trials.

If we are successful in identifying a third rider, the team will take part in the Los Angeles World Cup in January and will focus its efforts on the Pan Am Track Championships next spring which will be the best opportunity for Canada to score points internationally and move into the top-10 on the international rankings and see our position confirmed for Beijing 2008.